2014 Inland Championships

Taken from Yachts and Yachting (Chris Hawley):

An impressive 49 Supernovas made the trip to Northampton for the 2014 Supernova Inland Championship. The visitors were met by the usual fantastic Northampton hospitality, but unfortunately a very light and fickle breeze. Fortunately, the wind filled in enough for the race officer to fit in the four scheduled races for day one.

Race 1

Defending inland champion Cliff Milliner took an early lead, but was eventually caught by new to the class Tim Hand who passed Milliner on the final beat. Alan Bishop finished third in a mark 1, showing that the older boats are still competitive.

Race 2

A significant change in wind direction meant a total course change. Mike Gibson and Luke Fisher (another mark 1) made the right call up the first beat and established a clear lead. Gibson took line hours, followed by Fisher and then Andy Flitcroft.

Race 3

After a short break for lunch the wind had steadied ready for race 3. Chris Hawley and Steve Hawley dominated the early stages of the race, but usual order was restored when Milliner and Gibson broke through to finish in that order.

Race 4

Another bullet for Gibson, followed closely by Hand. Cotswold hotshot Gavin Young finished third. Special mention should go to Robin Kirby who managed to capsize on the start line by putting in a slightly overly generous roll tack.

Gibson was leading overnight, with results very tight at the top and through the fleet. After a quick AGM, retiring Chairman Paul Earnshaw provided some entertainment for the evening with his "Warrior" stories.

Race 5

After the usual spectacular Northampton breakfast everyone was ready to go. This included the wind, which had decided to show up with a steady force 2 gusting 3. Phil "first beat" East lived up his name and had a good lead at the windward mark. Milliner knew he had to do something special to catch up Gibson's overnight lead; impressively he did, winning the race by a good margin over youth sailor Alex Collins. Hand proved his consistency by finishing third.

Race 6

After an uncharacteristically mid-fleet result in race 5 Young was first out of the traps and didn't look back having a huge lead by the end of the race. Chris Hawley and Tony Bleasdale were on Young's transom at the start but got caught up with some Lightnings and lost out to Collins who finished second with Hawley third.

Overall Milliner won the event with Gibson second. Bishop was the Silver fleet winner, finishing 10th overall.

The current momentum in the Supernova class is impressive, with over 60 at the Nationals and open meeting turnouts of up to 30. The Supernova class is renowned for its friendly and supportive comradely, which combined with a fast growing younger sailor contingent really makes the Supernova one of the best singlehanded fleets at the moment.

Overall Results:

 

PosFleetSail NoHelmClubDivisionR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1stGold1079Cliff MillinerCotswold SC 24141‑812
2ndGold1047Mike GibsonBartley SCMaster9121‑11417
3rdGold1030Tim HandSutton‑in‑Ashfield 18‑2023923
4thGold1104Gavin YoungCotswold SC 41073‑25125
5thGold1088Alex CollinsBolton SCYouth‑1312652227
6thGold1071Andy FlitcroftBolton SC 63889‑1434
7thGold1034Paul EarnshawHavershamMaster76‑1768734
8thGold1094Mike ChritchleyBolton SC 5799‑13636
9thGold1100Chris HawleyBartley SC 1215310‑18343
10thSilver582Alan BishopGirton SC 3‑18161351350
11thGold1074Tony CritchleyBolton SCMaster8135719‑2352
12thSilver1102Paul KellyAttenborough 14‑17151241055
13thGold1066Phil EastHavershamMaster15911206(OCS)61
14thSilver705Steve HawleyBartley SC 20542414‑2567
15thSilver25Robin KirbyCSC ‑24161016101668
16thSilver1073Matt WilliamsCotswold SC 11221421‑231280
17thSilver704Luke FisherEmberton Pk SC 2221911‑292882
18thSilver1057Ian CasewellReading SCVeteran2314‑2918171587
19thSilver631Iain HorlockExe SC 281912‑32122495
20thSilver1038Norfolk EnchantsSevern SCVeteran1021232320‑2997
21stGold1060Paul UndrellHavesham SCMaster1732(OCS)26719101
22ndSilver1042Steve JohnsonCotswold SCVeteran161125‑332132105
23rdSilver1059Chris WattsBough BeechVeteran‑352013143327107
24thSilver1095Lewis BrailsfordSutton‑in‑AshfieldJunior‑372931152411110
25thSilver1083Ash FarmerEmberton Pk SC ‑383121271517111
26thSilver613Mike MalcolmHaversham SCMaster1825‑32193020112
27thSilver649Tony BleasdaleGirton SC 19303030‑345114
28thSilver1082Tom Chadfield  2623(DNC)311622118
29thSilver687Cary CawthornAttenborough 29‑4227222218118
30thSilver1067Bob PyettCambsVeteran‑392624292626131
31stSilver1068Pete BinghamBowmoor SCVeteran‑333326283121139
32ndSilver723Jon PeabodyHunts SC 2528362527‑37141
33rdSilver703Brian SmithBowmoorVeteran2734331732‑36143
34thSilver1078Gary ButterfieldBartleyMaster342422‑352835143
35thSilver1093John WalpoleExe SCMaster2136283440(DNC)159
36thSilver1007Steve SwanHavershamVeteran3238‑39373633176
37thSilver707Ian WhiteEmberton Ph SC ‑472718464541.5177.5
38thSilver1086David HallMilton KeynesVeteran36‑4435393534179
39thSilver1063Keith RixChipstead SCVeteran31353836‑4341.5181.5
40thSilver1022Don AppletonBolton SCVeteran44(DNF)34423830188
41stSilver621Stephen YatesScammonden W SCVeteran413740(DNC)4231191
42ndSilver598Serena StewardsonEmberton Pk SCLady3041423841‑43192
43rdSilver595Tom BaldwinCarsington SCMaster404043(DNC)3738198
44thSilver10David ScottElton SCVeteran42‑4341403939201
45thSilver1087Paul BatesHaversham 43393743(DNC)DNC213
46thSilver390Hedley DowlerCotswold SCVeteran4545‑46444440218
47thSilver491Andrew GoodmanAttenborough SCJunior46464541(DNC)DNC229
48thSilver1036Mervyn JonesCotswold SCVeteran(DNC)DNC4445DNCDNC242
49thSilver397Andy AllenBurton SCMaster48(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC252

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